Sick
by utdfan22
Summary: Teeny was feeling unwell, so Phee decided to do send someone to cheer her up. Sety/ Teeny and minor Arthur/ Phee.


**Author's Notes: The idea for this story is probably the result of the freezing weather outside. With that said, enjoy.**

Teeny shifted awkwardly beneath her thin blankets, pulling them closer to herself as she shivered in the winter morn.

The sunlight was already pouring through the window, stinging her unusually sensitive eyes every time she tried opening them.

She was stuck there, half-blind and freezing cold as all the other women who shared her room had left already to make the most of what little free time they had between battles. Teeny would have been jealous of being them but the idea of actually leaving her makeshift bed right then left her stomach feeling nauseous. Accursed winter sicknesses, she always hated that part of the season despite her usual immunity to the cold.

She tried to fall back asleep unsuccessfully as her constant turning left her far too restless to drift off.

She wasn't sure how long this went on before the old door's creaking heralded another visitor to the room.

Thanking Tordo that the light had grown less harsh, Teeny was able to make out the long silver hair and black clothing of her older brother.

"Hi, Arthur." She said, wincing at the scratchy sound of her own voice and the accompanying pain in her throat when she tried to speak.

"You're normally an early riser." He remarked coolly as he approached her, kneeling down beside her to place his hand on her slightly reddish forehead. "Guess I was right to be worried."

Teeny sunk deeper into her thin sheet, averting her now overly-bright eyes from his, "Sorry," she muttered.

"It's fine." Arthur answered, "You're running a temperature."

Teeny wanted to say that she was far too cold for that to be true but found she really didn't have the energy to argue.

The sound of footsteps alerted her to another presence just before Phee came into her line of sight, giving her sympathetic look.

"Hey, how are ya?" She asked kindly.

Teeny tried to say she was fine but a coughing fit overtook her, forcing her to sit up as she tried to ride it out.

"Maybe we should take her somewhere more comfortable." Phee suggested, Arthur nodding as he placed his arms underneath her knees and neck.

Teeny felt herself being lifted, mumbling an apology as she was carried out of the room for Grandbellian noblewomen.

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The room near the top of the battlements was a fairly well-furnished bedroom commandeered by the Silesian royalty siblings for its slightly colder nature.

It would have been an incredibly bad idea to bring a sick person up there if not for the collection of blankets kept around for the more thin-blooded occupants that the room had originally been built for. Teeny was practically cocooned in the warm materials by the time her nervous older brother was finished preparing her bedding.

"There, that should keep those chills away for a little while." Arthur's voice was unusually soft as he moved a strand of loose hair from Teeny's forehead, his motions incredibly gentle.

"Thank you." Teeny managed to squeeze out, leaning into Arthur's cool touch appreciatively.

Arthur smiled faintly in response, making no move to stop as he continued his ministrations dutifully.

The reverie was broken by Phee, her hand gripping Arthur's shoulder as she leaned down to whisper something in his ear.

Arthur's expression quickly shifted from curious to enraged as he pulled out of her grasp, "Absolutely not."

Phee pouted and crossed her arms, responding somewhat petulantly, "But she'll really enjoy it."

"I don't care; I'm not leaving her side." Arthur answered back coldly.

Phee's annoyed countenance held out for a moment, glaring down at Arthur fiercely. The stare down would have continued far longer (Teeny knew from experience) had a light not gone off in Phee's eyes and her lips curled upwards in a sly smirk.

"Well, if you're going to put your peace of mind over her happiness…" Phee trailed off challengingly, Arthur's fists clenching in response.

"I am not." His voice rose slightly but he managed to maintain control despite the frequent twitching over his left eye.

Phee's eyebrow quirked doubtfully as Arthur stood to meet her gaze, Teeny sighing at how easily her brother could be riled up by his girlfriend. He never stood a chance when it came to their arguing.

"So, you think she wouldn't enjoy it?" Phee teased, Arthur looking away shamefully as he tried to come up with a counter.

"No but… but… still." He finished weakly, resuming his stroking of Teeny's now sweat-drenched hair.

Phee's arm wrapped around his own and she gently said "Trust me," before pulling him up with very little trouble.

"Fine." Arthur breathed after a while and allowed Phee to drag him out of the room.

"You can thank me later!" Phee called airily over her shoulder, obviously enjoying herself as she threw the door shut behind her.

Teeny blinked owlishly before sinking her head back into the pillows beneath her head, realising just how well the Silesians had it if they had access to such wonderfully soft things every night.

It almost made her forget her discomfort… almost.

The familiar feeling of loneliness soon set in atop the illness, reminding her of the few times she'd been unwell under Aunt Hilda's roof. Once her mother had passed away, Teeny spent her sick days locked in a room by herself, her cousins warned not to see her for fear they might catch whatever disease had taken her.

Sometimes, Teeny looked back on those moments and realised that her aunt had probably been hoping she'd die during the night and leave the Freege royal family in peace. The memories weren't exactly uplifting as she stewed in her own miserable past, completely unable to grasp why Phee had been so insistent on leaving her alone.

The Pegasus Knight didn't know the extent of her suffering but Teeny had grown to hate isolation in her youth, becoming weary of her own company far sooner in life than anyone should ever have to.

It almost made her want to cry… almost.

She once again found herself unable to measure time, each moment hazily blurring into the next as she lay there shivering even beneath the thick furs covering her. The monotony was unbearable and Teeny had begun praying to be allowed drift off to sleep when the door was quietly eased open and closed, the sounds barely registering in Teeny's ears.

She wondered if she'd simply imagined the soft noises when a mop of green entered the corner of her vision, the messy substance so familiar that even a half-delirious Teeny could've recognised it from a hundred yards away.

"Sorry to interrupt but Phee and Arthur insisted I come see you. I hope you don't mind if I stick around for a while." His voice had a certain levity to it, sounding like a comforting breeze to Teeny's tired ears as she gave him the biggest smile she could muster.

"Of course not, Sety. I'm glad you're here." The scratchiness in her throat had only worsened since the morning (or was it still morning?) and Teeny suddenly felt very self-conscious of her condition.

Sety tactfully sidestepped the issue and sat cross-legged beside her bed, smiling up at her with the grin that could make Teeny's heart stop.

The two had been on fairly good terms since the Hero of Manster had joined the army, indeed he'd become something of a magical tutor for her.

Without him, she'd never have mastered fire magic as quickly as she had, especially considering her limited (and deeply unpleasant) childhood experiences with Fala's domain.

She hadn't wanted to but he insisted and she found herself incapable of saying no when he offered. Maybe that was another thing she and her brother had in common.

A blush erupted across her cheeks at the stray thought and she desperately tried to sink into the blankets to avoid Sety's piercing gaze.

"Are you feeling alright?" Sety asked nervously, his hand reaching for her forehead, "You're getting redder."

Teeny just nodded her head meekly, not trusting her voice enough to even attempt speaking again. Besides, the heat in her cheeks had actually managed to warm her up a little.

He looked unconvinced but Teeny poked her head out of her coverings slightly to give a small smile, one which Sety was quick to return.

The two soon settled into an amiable conversation, Teeny careful to only use the bare minimum amount of words, more nodding and gesturing as Sety did most of the talking.

She had to admit that she found it flattering that he was willing to spend this much time with her. Sure, they were together a lot for training or when Sety was undergoing healing but those served a pretty obvious purpose.

This was proof that he actually enjoyed her company. She wouldn't read too far into that but it was still nice to know.

Her heart was doing backflips every time his hand accidently grazed hers or they held eye contact for a few seconds longer than necessary. She wasn't feeling any better but she was certainly happier than she had been earlier.

"You feel like getting something to eat?" Sety asked with a barely suppressed chuckle when her empty stomach had started growling audibly.

"Uh-huh." She mumbled.

"Back in a minute." Sety said, patting her head once gently before rushing out the door.

She could hear his pace for a few minutes outside the door, the loud footsteps indicating that he was running to the kitchens.

She had to giggle at that, it was a sweet gesture, running about just to get her a bite to eat. She wondered if her father had ever done this for her mother when she was unwell.

She'd backpedalled over that thought as quickly as she could, suspiciously looking around for anyone who might have overheard her bold thoughts.

She wasn't about to reach above her station but if someone overheard her straying mind, they might take it the wrong way.

Teeny didn't know if she could bear the endless teasing that was sure to follow… or the thought that Sety might be uncomfortable around her.

She banished the thoughts from her mind, Sety was her best friend and she was happy with that. Even if a part of her wanted more.

Teeny was saved from her musings by Sety shouldering the door open carefully to avoid spilling the bowl of soup cupped in his hands.

"The vegetable broth took a little longer than I expected. Sorry for the wait." Sety explained sheepishly.

Teeny blinked, confused at how long she'd been stuck in her own thoughts, before brushing it off with an appreciative grin and reaching out for the bowl.

Sety chuckled nervously as he passed it over, about to sit back on the floor until Teeny's hand gripped her sleeve. Sety gazed at her curiously, making her feel very sheepish as she managed to squeak out a request while patting the near side of the bed.

"Could you… sit on the bed? Or would that be too close?"

Teeny averted her eyes, worried by his possible reaction, and missed the light pink that tinged the Silesian prince's cheeks.

Sety swallowed his own nervousness audibly and moved to take the offered space.

Teeny shifted slightly under the bed's shaking at the new weight, turning to face Sety's handsome countenance with an obvious relief in her eyes.

He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly as he tried to brush off the situation with a small laugh, Teeny giggling just as nervously with her own voice falling underneath his own.

The two caught sight of each other and found the laughter coming harder, completely inexplicable as the two realised just how silly they probably looked. Her with her entire lower body wrapped in blankets and her face slightly puffy while he sat stiffly on the edge of his own bed with one hand raking aimlessly through his own green locks.

The mirth eventually died down and the two relaxed in their shared company

Teeny's eyes began drifting shut as her body started warming up and her fever began to break. She tried to fight off the sleep, afraid Sety wouldn't be there when she woke up again.

Unfortunately, he proved too perceptive to deceive and pulled the blankets tighter around her.

"Get some sleep," he whispered soothingly, "you'll feel better afterwards."

Not having the energy to argue, Teeny wordlessly acquiesced and leaned back into the fluffy pillow beneath her head.

Sety gave one last encouraging grin before trying to stand. Teeny had a sudden moment of panic at the sight and her hand shot out to grip Sety's sleeve.

Avoiding his questioning gaze, Teeny took a moment to screw up what remained of her courage and quickly gave him a peck on the cheek before dropping back to the bed.

"As… as a thank-you." Teeny managed to force out despite her scratchy voice.

Sety was left dumbfounded as she turned away from him in abash, a cute pink dusting her cheeks.

Touching the spot her lips had graced with the tips of his fingers, a silly grin splitting his face as he did so.

Gently gripping her one of her shoulders, he turned Teeny back to face him and placed his mouth against her own. It only lasted a few moments before both pulled away from each other, flushed and breathing heavily. Completely inappropriate for a kiss so lacking in aggression, Sety absently thought as he gazed down somewhat hungrily at her slightly parted lips. He could fix that though…

Teeny recovered first, meeting his eyes with a sincerely hopeful expression, "Does that… does that mean…" she trailed off into nothingness, unable to finish her thought without her cheeks exploding in red colouring.

"If you want." Sety answered, trying to mask his own unease at the situation.

He was failing miserably but Teeny didn't seem to notice as she nodded her head enthusiastically and reaching up to wrap her arms tightly around his neck. Sety reciprocated and snaked his arms around her waist, enjoying the feel of her body as it fit snugly against him.

"You think I could stay here?" Sety whispered into Teeny's ear.

"You don't have to do that. I wouldn't want you to get sick," she stuttered shyly in response, only to hear a deep chuckle (made all the more noteworthy by her ability to feel the reverberations in his chest).

"Silesians don't usually get winter sicknesses abroad, we're too thick-blooded for it. And I want to do it."

"Then, I'd… really like… you to stay with me for a while. In my bed." Teeny blushed at the last words leaving her mouth but was glad when Sety lay down beside her, leaving her to rest on his chest.

"Actually, it's my bed you've spent the day in." Sety teased, smiling as she buried her face in his chest.

He had a sneaking suspicion her face could rival a tomato in that quiet moment the two shared.

Teeny meanwhile was quietly contemplating how she should go about thanking Phee for the wonderful gift.

**Author's Notes: And… done. Merry Christmas, everyone!**


End file.
